Apr 26, 2021

Introduce Yourself to Tori Thomas' Sophomore Single, "It Gets Better"

From the suburbs of Connecticut, the up-and-coming pop artist and singer-songwriter Tori Thomas releases her introspective sophomore single entitled "It Gets Better."

While her fascination with the cosmos fuels her microcosm-macrocosm songwriting approach, Tori Thomas always strives to analyze her surroundings until they reveal profound relatable aspects. Combining organic and synthetic instrumentation similar to the stylings of Adele, Ed Sheeran, and Dermot Kennedy, Tori Thomas is more than ready to strike her audience with brutally honest lyricism and emotional atmospheres.

Now releasing her sophomore single, "It Gets Better," Tori Thomas mentioned that although the title may point towards an uplifting ballad, her lyricism depicts rather introspective and recollecting thoughts. With help from the soft and tender instrumentals/sonics, Tori Thomas drifts through the song with her soothing vocal abilities and reflective lyricism.

Jumping into "It Gets Better," the song opens with powerfully emotional piano melodies and airy down-tempo drum patterns. As Tori Thomas makes her sweet vocal appearance, the song widens into this broad and delicate atmosphere as she begins depicting the bitter taste in her mouth. The surrounding instrumentation and sonics continue their heartfelt journey alongside Tori Thomas's layered vocals that reminds us of a brighter future.

Although Tori Thomas offers more of an introspective approach through her lyricism, she reminds us of the non-linear journey to self-love and how each individual will endure a different experience than the next. Around the outro, Tori Thomas's layered vocals shatter our speakers with the utmost power and strength, ending the song with boundless heart and soul.

Allow yourself to find hope once again with help from Tori Thomas's sophomore single, "It Gets Better," now available on all streaming platforms.

Hello Tori, welcome to BuzzMusic, and congratulations on the release of your emotional sophomore single, "It Gets Better." Why did you want to release this single as a follow-up track to your debut, "Misery Business?"

Thank you! Yeah, Misery Business was a fun cover of a song by one of my favorite bands, Paramore. I've always loved hearing other people’s different renditions of songs they grew up with, and Misery Business was one I would scream at the top of my lungs as a teenager (and if I'm honest still do today). I loved stripping it back and adding my own elements and spin on it. I wanted to release that track as a pre-curser to It Gets better, they both have a similar production feel and I think it's a great introduction to the direction of my sound.

What inspired the emotional lyricism and concept within your single "It Gets Better?"

I was in the thick of a really tough and raw time. My 7-year relationship had just ended a few months earlier and I remember being really confused that the pain still felt just as bad as it did when it first happened. I don’t know why in my head I thought the healing process was that it gets easier with each day, because it definitely, absolutely, positively does not. It’s a non-linear, chaotic messy series of bad moments sparsed with good moments. No one told me that, or maybe they did and I didn’t listen. I was surprised that one second I could be feeling good and fine and the next to get completely knocked down out of the blue. Like most, I tried to hold mantras and repeat the usual self-help phrases people told me “you can get through this, day by day, it gets better”. The intention was always nice but when people would say those uplifting phrases, sometimes I really didn’t want to hear it. Especially “it gets better”. It holds a posture of the future and almost invalidates the pain you are feeling in the moment. But it did stick with me and that’s when I realized, that phrase had turned into something different for me. It became a flicker of light in-between the hard stuff and this idea of having good and bad co-exist next to each other. You can have a moment of okay I got this I can do it, and then in the same or subsequent thought also really want a cigarette or numb yourself. By no means is this phrase or the song to be uplifting or like an anthem, because it’s when we try to pull people out of the dark or think we “should” feel a certain way after so many months that prolongs the healing. Sometimes you have to really sit in it. This song is my authentic depiction of the messy and complex duality of thoughts that were going on through my head during this specific time, while also trying to see the light and console myself.

We've noticed that you also released a music video for "It Gets Better." How does the music video reflect and emphasize the song's introspective theme?

The main concept my director and I wanted to bring to the table were vast landscape changes. We wanted to show visually the sporadic different places you can go to in your head. One minute you’re drowning, the next you find yourself, next you fall to your knees... It’s meant to be a bit confusing and a rollercoaster since that’s how your brain works. We wanted it to reflect the same idea I mentioned before, that healing is a duality of various moments of growth and chaos

Seeing as you've only released two singles thus far, what should listeners continually expect from you and your sound? What do you promise to serve your audience with each release?

In terms of production, a lot of what I create is inspired by depth. Vast sounds and ambient landscapes feel representative of a lot of the messages I try to get across. I'm really fascinated by microcosms and macrocosms in our world. Cinematic has been a good adjective to describe what I’ve been making recently. But I also always try to write and create songs that could stand with just a guitar or piano. So an acoustic track is not off the table. Lyrically, words are where my true passion lies. I try to capture each thought as authentically as I can as it unfolds in my head. It doesn’t always work, but a lot of what I write is a one train of thought or happening in a specific moment. The human brain is so interesting, and how our thoughts unfold in real-time is really intriguing. I never shoot for catchiness or “hits” rather, I’m much more interested in capturing a moment in time. Kind of like a photo or a time capsule.

What's next for you?

In terms of my life, I am now vaccinated which totally opens new doors. I am excited to see what unfolds and am thrilled that small live shows are in the cards again. I have a lot of music written and in various production stages. I have another single lined up for May that I’m super excited about and hope to keep releasing one track at least a month, if not more. But I definitely don’t want to release things just to release content. I’m a big proponent of feeling things out and all about the right timing. If people are interested in staying up to date with shows and releases, I am building an email community that you can sign up for on my website. It helps me directly connect with people more authentically and take them on this journey as I go.